Hydrocarbon power-generator.



J. lJANICKI. HYDROCARBON POWER GENERATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED A1112. 1911.

1,052,588. Patented Feb. 11,1913.

JOHN JANICKI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HYDROCARBN POWER-GENERATOR.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN JANicKI, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, State 5 of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydrocarbon Power-Generators, of which the following is a specification. Y

The main objects of this invention are to provide improved means for generating power from the combustion of hydrocarbon fuel and particularly adapted for utilizing the power due to expansion of the fuel during combustion, in such manner that the products of combustion may be used for operating a motor at comparatively low temperature; to provide in apparatus of this kind improved means for vapo-rizing liquid or powdered fuel; to provide improved means for preventing back firing in the vaporizing chamber; to provide improved regulating means for such apparatus; and to providev improved means for burning hydrocarbon fuel. 1

Al specific embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- 4 *1 Figure 1 is a sectional view indicating the arrangement of the parts of the generating apparatus. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view, j showing the general arrangement of a complete system including the fuel combustion apparatus, motor and compressor, and illustrating a suitable arrangement of such parts.

In the construction shownl in the, drawings, the power generator co-mprises a casing 1,having in its interior a dome-shaped battle wall 2 arranged to provide a vaporizing chamber 3 within it and an ignition space 4 communicating with an expansion space or combust-ion chamber 5 outside of the chamber 3. Concentric fuel and air inlet pipes, f designated 6 and 7 respectively in the drawings, extend axially into the chamber 3 and are controlled by valves 8 and 9 respectively. The bafl'le wall 2 at the point directly opposite the inner ends of the pipes 6 and 7 is provided with a conical projection 1Q located in axial alinement with said pipes, so that the fuel and air discharged from said pipes will be caused to spread and flow along the surface of the baiie wall 2 and become heated through contact therewith.

At the end of the chamber 3 which is distant from the inner ends of the pipes 6 and Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 12, 1911.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

Serial 110,620,610.

7, an annular series of narrow openings 11 connect the chamber 3 with the annular space 4 outside of the wall 2, which annular space forms the ignition chamber. This chamber is provided with a spark plug 12 or other suitable means for initially igniting the mixed fuel and air in the space 4. The passage 13,*which connects the ignition space 4 with the expansion space 5, is slightly contracted so as to retard the flow of gases through it and thereby encourage eddying and thorough mixing of the air and fuel in their passage through the ignition space 4.

'An annular series of additional air inlets 14 enter the ignition space 4 from the jacket space 15 which surrounds the casing 1. These inlets 14 are preferably located adjacent to the inlets 11 and so directed that the currents of air and gas issuing from the two sets of inlets will co-nfiict and become thoroughly mixed.

The combustion chamber 5 is of suiiicient volume to serve as a storage reservoir and allow a certain amount of expansion of the gases while the combustion which was started in the ignition space 4 is being completed. The outlet from the chamber 5 is preferably in the form of an expansion nozzle 16 of the De Laval type, whereby the pressure and temperature of the products of combustion are reduced, the energy being transformed into kinetic energy.

A motor, preferably in the form of an impulse turbine 17, is connected with the nozzle bustion discharged therefrom.

An air compressor 18, here shown, asv

driven by a motor 19, communicates by the pipe 2O with the jacket space 15, from which air is supplied to the air inlets of the combustion chamber. The motor 19 is shown independent of the motor 17 as it is preferred to have independent speed control.

Fuel, preferably liquid, is supplied to the pipe 6 by a pipe 21 controlled by the valve 8. An additional automatic valve 22 also controls the pipe 21. This valve, in the form shown, is controlled by a lever 23 connected at its opposite end with a piston 24 movable in a small cylinder 25 and having one face exposed to the pressure of the gases in the chamber 5. A spring 26 normally urges the piston 24 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1, and also normally urges the opening of the valve 22. A fit- Y ting 28 is interposed in the air supply pipe crease so as to overcome the pressure ofthe spring 6, the piston 24 will move outward, causing the valve 22 to close and the piston 32 to cover the ports 31, so as to reduce or cut oif the .fuel and air supp1y,and if the excess of pressure exceeds a certain amount, predetermined by the strength of the spring 26, the piston will uncover an outlet opening 27 and cause a reduction of the pressure in the chamber 5. Normally, the outlet opening 27 will be covered, and thefmovement of the piston 24 will be slight, so as to automatically control the admission of fuel and air to correspond with the consumption of power by the motor.

Accurate adjustment of the relative fuel and air admission maybe had by manipulating jthe valves 8 and 9. The valve 9 should be so set that the mixture in the chamber 3 will be insuicient. to support mit complete combustion to take place in the ignition chamber 4. This combustion, together with the continued combustion in the chamber 5, heats the battle wall 2 to i the fuel inlets and i redness, and this is sucient to maintain the combustion after it is once started without requiring the continuous operation of the ignition device 12. striking the hot baille wall 2, becomes vaporized and thoroughly mixes with the air from the pipe 7 during its ,passage along the .wall 2. Y

QIt will be seen that the arrangement of 'tion chambers is such that it is equally suitable for use in connection with liquid, gaseous, or powdered solid fuel, the only change required. for different fuels Vbeing such as can be lreadily made by those skilled in the art.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the constructionfshown ma be altered or omitted'without departing from the spirit of this invention, as defined by thefollowing claims.

I claim 1. A power generator, comprising a combustion chamber, means providing a closed baille wall in said chamber adapted Vto be The inflowing fuel, v

heated by the combustion of fuel in said chamber, a fuel inlet nozzle arranged to direct the incoming, unconsumed fuel against saidclosed baffle wall, and a Huid actuated motor arranged to be driven by the products of combustion from said combustion chamber 2. `A power generator, comprising a combustion chamber having an lgnition space at one end and an expansion space at its other` end, and ahollow vaporizin chamber extending into said combustion c amber in position 'to vhave its walls heated by the products of combustion and havin a contracted opening communicating with said ignition space, and means for discharging air and fuel into said vaporizing chamber.

3. A power generator, comprising a combustion chamber having an ignition'space at one end and an expanslon space at its other end, and a hollow vaporizing chamber extending into said combustion chamber in ucts of combustion and having a contracted opening communicating with said ignition space, and means fo-r discharging air and fuel int-o said vaporizing chamber, said means being arranged to direct the inflowing fuel and air against the walls of said ignition chamber at a point distant from said contracted opening, and the adjacent part of the Wall of said ignition chamber being provided with a projection adapted to distribute the inflowing current of air and fuel and cause it to spread over the surface of said Wallin its contracted opening.

4. A power generator, comprising a combustion chamber having 4an ignition space at one end and an expansion space at its other end, and a hollow vaporizing chamber extending into said combustion chamber in position to have its walls lheated by the products of combustion and having a contracted opening communicatting with said ignition space, and means for discharging air and fuel into said vaporizing chamber, said combustion chamber having an additional air inlet communicating therewith, an air jacket surroundingsaid combustion chamber and communicating with said last passage toward said position to have its walls heated by the prodnamed air inlet opening and having an air baiie wall, a Huid actuated motor arranged to be driven bythe products of combustion from said combustion chamber, and means directly controlled by the pressure in said combustion chamber for regulating the admission of fuel thereto.

6. A power generator, comprising a combustion chamber having an ignition space at one end and an expansion space at its other end, and a hollow vaporizing chamber extending into said combustion chamber in position to have its walls heated by the products of combustion and having a contracted opening communicating with said ignition space, means for discharging air and fuel into said vaporizing chamber, and a fuel inlet valve controlling the admission of fuel to said vaporizing chamber and normally urged to an open position, and mechanism actuated by variations in the pressure in said combustion chamber and connected with said fuel inlet valve so as to tend to close the same through an increase in pressure in said combustion chamber.

7 A power generator, comprising a combustion chamber having an ignition space at one end and an expansion space at its other end, a hollow vaporizing chamber extending into said combustion chamber in position to have its walls heated by the products of combustion and having a contracted opening communicating with said ignition space, means for discharging air and fuel into said vaporizing chamber, a fuel inlet valve controlling the admission of fuel to said vaporizing chamber and normally urged to an open position, and mechanism actuated by variations in the pressure in said combustion chamber and adapted to control the admission of air to said combustion chamber.

8. A power generator, comprising a combustion chamber having an ignition space at one end and an expansion space at its other end, a hollow vaporizing chamber extending into said combustion chamber in position to have its walls heated by the products of combustion and having a contracted opening communicating with said ignition space, means for discharging air and fuel into said vaporizing chamber, a fuel inlet valve controlling the admission of fuel to said vaporizing chamber and normally urged to an open position, land mechanism actuated by variations in the pressure in said combustion chamber and adapted to control the admission of fuel and air to said combustion chamber.

9. A power generator, comprising a com'- bustion chamber having an ignition space at one end and an expansion space at its other end, a hollow vaporizing chamber extending into said combustion chamber in position to have its walls heated by the products of combustion and having a closed forward end and a contracted opening communicating with said ignition space, means for discharging air and fuel into said vaporizing chamber, and an air compressor driven by said motor and communicating with the air inlet.

10. A power generator, comprising a combustion chamber, means providing a baffle wall in said chamber adapted to be heated by the combustion of fuel in said chamber, said baiie wall having a deiecting portion, a fuel inlet nozzle in axial alinement with said dei'lecting portion arranged to direct the incoming, unconsumed fuel against said battle wall, a fluid actuated motor arranged to be driven by the products of combustion from said combustion chamber, and an eX- pansion nozzle interposed between said combustion chamber and said motor and adapted through expansion to reduce the temperature of the products of combustion in their passage to said motor.

Signed at Chicago this 6th day of April 1911.

JOHN JANICKI.

Witnesses EUGENE A. RUMMLER, MARY M. DELLMAN. 

